Vault-light construction and method of securing lenses therein.



L. W. MULFORD..

VAULT LIGHT CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD 0F SECURING LENSES THEREIN. APPLICATION FILED JULY I5, 1915.

1 ,1 59,858. Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

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LOGAN WILLARD MULFORD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

VA'U'LT-LIGrHT CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD OF SECURING LENSES THEREIN.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, LOGAN WILLARD MUL- ronn, a citizen of the United States, residinor in the city and county of New York, State of N ew York, have invented a new and useful Vault-Light Construction and Method of Securing Lenses Therein, of which the following is a specification.

In the installation of vaultlight', floorlight, skylightand similar constructions, wherein a lens or tile is embedded in the concrete, considerable difficulty has hereto-V fore arisen in replacing the lbroken lenses, the breaking or cracking of which occurs due to tralic and climatic conditions. In the methods ordinarily employed in replac- ,ing broken lenses, it has been deemed necessary to employ a skilled workman to remove the broken lens and replace it with a new one. chip away a portion of the concrete surrounding the lens which is a slow and painstaking operation so that considerable eX-v pense has been lenses without ance and stability of the finished construction.

t With the above in view, my present invention consists of a novel method of interlocking the glass with the concrete, and a novel watertight cement lock joint resulting from the steps of my method.

It further consists of a novel vaultlight or similar construction, in which the original lens or glass is provided withan outwardly projecting' annular rib, the outer contour of which is preferably conveX vso that when the concrete is placed around the lens, a concave annular groove will be formed in the concrete. The replaceable lens is provided with an annular groove, the .'nner face of which is preferably concave` so that after the original lens has been broken out, an annular groove will be formed to receive the cement. The sides of the concrete are buttered with fresh cement which fills the .groove in the old cement and thelens which lls the vgroove in the lens'so that when the parts are assembled, the two ribs of soft concrete form a homogeneousv mass and a cement or concrete lock is provided to retain the lens in assembled position.

involved in replacing the Specification of Letters Patent.

It is` also sometimes necessary tol detracting from the appear-1 is buttered withsoft cement Figure lV represents Aa sectional elevation having the origof a vaultlight construction inal lens or glass in position, one ofthe lenses being shown in side elevation. Fig. 2 represents a sectional elevation of a vaultlight construction, showing the Vsame as it appears after the original lens has been replaced and after a cement lock embodying my invention has been formed to interlock the lens and the concrete, one of the Vlenses being shown in side elevation. Fig. 3 represents a sectional view of a portion ofthe construction ready to receive the lens. Fig. 4 represents a sectional view of the lens with the rib of cement in place.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

eferring to the drawings: In my prior Patent, No. 1,021,548, granted tome on the 26th dayA of March, 1912,'I have described and broadly claimed a fnovel vaultlight, skylight, and floorlight construction, wherein a preformed slab of reinforced'concrete is employed, adapted to receive the lenses, and provided with bonding elements which are first placed over the opening to be covered. The second layer of concrete interloclts with the bonding elements and surrounds the lenses toretain them in position. In the present instance, I have preferred to illustrate my present invention in-conjunc# l n l l K though as is not limited to suoli type of construction and may be employed in connection with any desired type of reinforced or other concrete construction where lenses or tiles are to be'employed.

-l designates a preformed slab having of construction` andk Patented'N ov. 9, 1915. Y Application led July 15, 1915. Serial No. 39,951. i

3 designates metal reinforcements extending through the preformed slab at an angle to the reinforcements and illustrated as consisting of beams, the upper ends of which extend above the preformed slab and form bonding elements TVhich are embedded in the upper layer of cement or concrete which, as seen in Fig. 1, also embeds,` the original lenses 5. rhe original lenses o are provided, intermediate their topy and bottoni, with an outwardly extending annular, rib 6, the outerface of which is preferably conrex, rlhe sides of the. lensesypreferablj7 taper downwardly from. the top, indicated neath the annular rib f3, as indicated at 9. An annular flange l0 is provided. at the bottom of the lenses, which forin` shoulder 11 which rests on al shoulder 12 formed; in the concrete. lThe bottom of the lens may be pro.- i'ided, if desired, withA the recess 13. The upper portions` of the, sides ofthe lenses are coated, with a, malleable coatingk 1% in order to form a watertight joint at the upper portion of the lens. `When, an original; lens, as seen in Fig. 1. becomes cracked or broken, suchv broken lens is knocked out of the reinforced construction, therebyl leav-r ing an annularvgroove 15, 1which in thefcrm illustrated, has a concave formation.

Referring nov: to Fi 2, 1:6 designates the replaceable lenses, which are preferably made slightly less in diameter than the originalI lenses 5 and. are provided Withk the upper downwardly tapered side Wallsl, Which mergeinto the annular groove 18, which lat ter is preferably of a concavesfoiunation` andlocated at the same relative position between the top and bottoml of the lens, as,l is the annular rib 6 ofy theoriginal lens rEhe side Wall of the replaceable lens 1 6 is tapered downwardly from thebottoin of theigroove 18, as indicated; at19, andr forms a, shoulderv 2O which rests on the shoulder 12 of the concrete. lens` preferably terminates in an annular flange 21, which serves to center thelenses in` aY similar manner, as does the bottom flange 1,0 of the original lens 5, After the original lens has been of the. concrete are fresh cement, or concrete which fills the groove 15, in the oldy concrete. Wallsl of, the lens are buttered withl softrcement, which fills thegroovel in the,` lens, so that When the lens is pressed interposition, the two ribs of softl concretefbeconie homogeneous and form an annular, Water-v tight cementV lock 22 torsecureA the lens in place. yThe side Wall of-thelens orlglass. near its upper end is provided with aY malle-f able: COtIlg, 23'111 order to rendervthe. con

at 8, and this taper also continues be-l The bottom ofv the replaceable broken out, the sides buttered` orw coated with,

The side riChe preformed slab 1 is provided With the i openings 2l beneath the lenses or glasses, the walls of such openings preferably diverging toward the bottom of the preformed slab.

it Will new be apparent thatv in carrying out my novel method, l form the original lenses Withv outwardly projecting annular ribs and, embedl or surround them with con crete. These original lenses, when it is desired to replace them,l are broken out. nenv lensisformed with an annular groote. Such nenY lens is coated with! fresh cement which fills the groove thereof andthe Krall, of the opening is` coatedf with fresh cement and, the.y groove. in the ivall filled with fresh cement.l rEhey lenses.` their openings and they cement allowed to set, whereupon, an annular watertight cement lock joint is formed4 betweenV the new glass andy the old concrete. ln, accordance with present invention, new lenses can be replaced by the usey of unskilled labor, with a, minimum ofy expense, andK Without de,- tracting, from theappearance of thenished construction.

lylhileinthe present instance, l hare preferred to shovv the annular grooves coin-` mon totheconcrete and replaceable lens as. having ay concave formation, it will be. apparent that in the broad spirit and, scope of my invention, cooperating grooves or recesses. of. any,- dev sired formation to receive thecement which forms thelock joint between the replaceable lensesand the vaultlight construction.

It is to be understood that the type of lenseinployed, as Well as, thetype` of vaultlight construction withl Which the lenses areused, may vary Widelyin, practice, since myy pres.- ent invention is` pantieularly. directed to the novel methodk of and. construction for form-v ing a watertight. cement lock joint betivveen the, replaceablelenses and4 the vaultlight con?.

the. above description,I and While 'have, in 4 shown andl described theV present, instance,I preferrfll.y embodiments; thereofA which will give. inv practice,satisfactony and reliable re,

stilts, itY is to be; understood that,V the same-` are. susceptible offrnodii-ication in various particulars Without departing` from. the

are then assembled. in

it is simply necessary tohave.

llO

. anyof its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The method of replacing lenses in vaultlight constructions having lenses with annular ribs thereon, which consists in removing the lens to be replaced, to thereby leave an annular groove in the old concrete, coating the old concrete surrounding the opening with cement,`and filling the groove therein with cement, coating the side of a new lens having an annular groove with cement and lling the groove of the lens with cement, placing the new lens in the opening to bring its groove into register with the groove in the wall of the opening, and allowing the cement in said grooves to set to form a homogeneous mass of cement.

2. The method of replacing lenses in vaultlight constructions having lenses with annular ribs thereon, which consists in removing the lens to be replaced, to thereby leave an annular groove in the old concrete, coating Y25 the old concrete, surrounding the opening with cement, and filling the groove therein with cement, coating the side of a new lens having an annular groove with cement and filling the groove of the lens with cement, placing a malleable coating around the upper portion of the side wall of the new lens, placing the new lens in the opening to bring its groove into register with lthe groove in the wall of the opening, and allowing the 35 cement in said grooves to set to forml a homogeneous mass of cement.

LOGAN VVILLARD MULFORD. v

Witnesses:

C. HARRY LAW, J. H. OLD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, Vby addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

